Furious principals say they will march on Parliament in protest at the most radical restructuring in 30 years, saying the proposals will destroy schooling as New Zealand knows it.

The proposal to relieve school boards of responsibility for property, HR and financial management is the one that has been most warmly-greeted by the Government. Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the report reflected what he often heard from schools: that boards felt ill-equipped to manage property, especially when problems such as leaky buildings cropped up.

The School Trustees Association and Principal’s Federation have offered cautious support to centralising some of those responsibilities. And this week, Manawatū Principals’ Association president Wayne Jenkins said boards of trustees faced “huge” responsibilities, and he welcomed a re-evaluation on their role.

But at some of the bigger secondary schools, especially in Auckland, anger is mounting. In this week’s strongly-worded attack, Macleans College principal Steven Hargreaves wrote to parents and staff in the holidays to say the proposed changes would “destroy the school system in New Zealand as we know it”.

Taking power away from boards would create “bland, one-size-fits-all” institutions and destroy the role of communities in schools, Hargreaves said.

He called on parents to oppose the recommendations and said parents had already been quick to voice their backing for him.

Over the summer break, schools would be picking over the report in detail and identifying the key issues, Hargreaves said. A parents’ information evening would be scheduled in February and from there they would aim to get traction through the board of trustees and local MPs.

Hargreaves said he was ready to “descend on Parliament” with other principals if necessary.

This weekend, Bali Haque, chairman of the Tomorrow’s Schools taskforce, emphasised there could be scope for hubs to hand responsibilities back to boards.

Haque said there was no intention in the report to take away the “critical jobs” boards currently have.

Boards would retain control over teaching at their schools, the locally-raised funds, and receive a veto or final approval over their principal’s appointment if the taskforce’s recommendations are adopted.

It looks like a lot of consultation is required here.

The Government and Minister of Education Chris Hipkins have already had to try to deal with teacher unions campaigning for substantially improved pay and and staffing levels.

19 Comments

kluelis

90 % of our personality is formed before we go to pre school. 99.99999% of what we know is learned out side of school hours. What’s with school any way?. School is really just respite care for children of frazzled parents. Schools as we know them are on their last legs thank goodness. With the quality and access of the internet schools can be run any where any time by any one. Kids will be able to just design their own “schooling” which will be great. Wish we had such schools in my day day rather than the soul less bullying faceless grey punishment centres we had to endure.

Kitty Catkin

Most of our teachers were nice people. The one who was a sadist/pervert was removed and next heard of in the loony bin.

Ask any teacher from the past if all the pupils were well-behaved and respectful in the past and see what they say.

Poor old Corks made it obvious that he’s a fantasist when he described a relation as holding a non-existent position as a head…and said that even with all of them helping, it took a whole 8 hours to prepare for the new term.

artcroft

A skilled board which includes parents who are professional lawyers, accountants and teachers is a huge help and resource for a fortunate school (and a challenge to principals). But many boards lack these skills and occasionally board members are disinterested. I heard one situation where trustees arrived late, stayed long enough to collect the meagre honorarium and buggered off. So I can see the govt’s point of view.

NOEL

Probably no surprise, large high decile schools are likely to have management expertise available for their boards – but should high decile schools be disadvantaged in an effort to lift lower decile schools?

NOEL

” This weekend, Bali Haque, chairman of the Tomorrow’s Schools taskforce, emphasised there could be scope for hubs to hand responsibilities back to boards.”
Present your case and probable nothing will change.

duperez

The bland ‘one-size-fits-all institutions’ model will destroy the role of communities in schools and do irreparable damage to our schooling? Who knows, the USA school districts and UK local council models destroyed them so much that over many recent years we’ve regularly heard that we need to copy many facets of their schooling. Apparently they know better than us and their ways are preferable to ours.

Flippancy aside, now for the serious stuff. The proposals are a totally unwanted intrusion into the life of big Auckland schools. How can a principal focus on the real stuff when that rubbish is going on? Real stuff that needs 100% attention like attracting as many foreign fee paying students as possible and the real real stuff: recruiting for the rugby First XV and/or the hockey and soccer First XVs.

Duker

Thats a fully private school, they have no government input at all- except for the money of course. Theres the semi private schools which are mostly government funded , then theres the rest.
‘Currently, private schools are funded from a pool of $41 million a year, divided among the schools according to their enrolments’